JTTHECLOCKMAN

I actually had plans on doing that very thing.

Did you wind up making the slots and tabs and are they dismantlable??

My thoughts is people do not read so no matter what you put on there. They do not understand the differences. I have hand made signs on my shows too and still get asked if cut with a laser or overhear conversations where people say that it is. Do not sweat that stuff keep doing what you are doing. It will not mean any more sales.

I guess so.

Kevin what kind of tweaking can you do on this saw beside moving the lower clamp to get a more aggressive cutting action?? What did you do that caused more vibration?? Interesting.

I guess what I am trying to say and did it with way too many words is, we sometimes use the word business to mean something else. There are 2 types of business. One that you make a living from and support a family with all the essentials and then there is the side business and that is where the hobby/ business falls in. When you Ray and others say they could not take a hobby and make it into a business is just not true. It is done all the time and this is my point. I have a business. My hobby is a business. It is a side business. When you collect taxes and deal with the government you are now a business. Not everyone can take it to the level where it is self sustaining. People that try may lose interest because it becomes more like a job and it takes the enjoyment out of it. They tried to grow their business but failed for various reasons that I had mentioned before. My point again is those same people wanted to make their hobby/business into a make a living business they would find the way if they were driven. Just human nature. But if they have other means than excuses are easy to make up such as government interference and so on. I can not explain myself any more and will just have to excuse myself from this conversation.

Kevin all good points and advertising is always a key factor. You see it it at craft shows as well. A show needs to be promoted not only by the people putting the show on but also it helps when vendors themselves promote their appearances. I use to make up cards for where my next show was and left them on the table along with my business card. Putting ads on storefront windows was always a good source of advertising along with the newspaper ads. Some methods of advertising is so simple and free and yes some it does cost money. But the old adage you need to spend money to make money rings through. But one thing is yes a hobby can become a business if you are willing to put the time and effort into it. You do need the business side of knowledge to go along with the skill set. But this is why people hire others to do that end. I agree with Ray when he said that many times people try to make their hobby into a business and get burned out and that is one of the reasons. Because they have no experience setting up a business and doing the leg work to get it started and it burns before it is established. You did not start out making the money you are now and I bet you questioned yourself about another failed business attempt when you first started. But you stuck with it and being you have some background in business you are making it work. It is not for everyone and many times a family comes into play. You probably have a unique setup where you do not have to feed a family, pay all the bills and a mortgage and provide for college educations and things like that. Because if you did a small business as yours will not get it done. When people say they have a business they more than likely have other incomes or other factors such as kids are on their own and house is paid for and other things. But to take a small hobby such as scrollsawing and knitting and pen turning and make a full time living at it for a long time is probably impossible unless you have other income. Just the way of the world today. If you had your business set up 25, 30 years ago and there were the etsy and ebay and power of the net around you would easily tripled what you make now even at the money value back then. Those things were not around. It was the craft shows leading the way. Easier to do than today with all the competition from the web. So yes you have to advertise even more so today to stay ahead of your competition. So make a living at selling crafts as you say can be done but far and few in between. I believe my statement above with family being a key. I too know a husband and wife who gave up their employment to give scrolling a chance at a business and this was at the height of the craft movement and they did well but they were constantly working at it day in and day out. They had to move out of Nj and went to Pennsylvania where things were somewhat cheaper to live but kept the business going. No kids so that helped but could not sustain it as the market and economy started going south. The cry for crafts is not there as it once was. I wish you continued success in this endeavor of yours and hope it stays rewarding for you.

I thought I remembered you getting some print. Great job and keep up the good work. May you keep making the saw dust and making people happy.

I put a piece of 1/4" acrylic on mine to make the surface a little larger and once in a blue mood will hit with some wood polish. But I like to have a little drag to better control the piece. Works for me.

There are always plenty of excuses to buy new toys. Hegner will give you better customer service so order it up.

I can see why that type pattern would be a little bit of a hassle. The one question you did not mention is the notoriety. Did you get a write up one time before by a paper and if not there should be. Would make a fascinating story. The inside story of the Puzzleman.

No dust is good to breathe.

Thanks Iggy. I would not have guessed Unicorn. My guess would have been dogs because many people can relate with pets. Do you find those numbers to hold true year to year or does it vary?? Maybe a certain kids movie comes out and drives sales differently?? Do you keep things generic or can you get specific say like Batman or Disney character?? I bet you get stories from the customers so what is your best story?? Has a grown up said the puzzle was for them, maybe as a fidget thing at work.??? What is your least sellable puzzle?? Do you have one puzzle that is either time consuming or you just hate making but need to because it is requested?? I know lots of questions but thought this would be a good time to get some insight into the Puzzle Master here. You mention many times here you shows and the making and selling of these. I know I find it fascinating that one has taken a simple scrolling idea and ran with it and has become a great success. I think at one time you mentioned a local paper did a story on you and your artform, is that true?? Do you display this at your shows proudly to let people know you are a celebrity?? You are our celebrity and wish you continued success.

Enjoy and hope you make lots of saw dust with it.

They do not make that saw any more so I could not find any specs on it to see if there is a way to tame the aggressiveness of the cutting action. All saws will rock back and forth with some being more aggressive. that is what you are seeing. You can try the above suggestion but just do not know how to correct it if it can be.

I don't use a dust collector on my scrollsaw either and in fact I use nothing. Clean up at end of day with vac. Been doing that for years.

So in the end what is the bottom line??? From this point forward will you be using one saw as the primary saw??? I do not see an advantage changing from styles of saws because each one cuts differently as you have proven. I know you did this as a test for fun. I have a Dewalt, Hegner and a 220vs and 226vs RBI saws. My every day saw is the 220. The Hegner is my bevel cutting saw, the 226 is my large project saw and the Dewalt sits and collects dust, not makes it. Have to say that is a way to spice things up cutting the same project that many times.

I love this idea. May I use it??

Good luck with the shows. Looks like the economy is holding true and should be prosperous. If you had to guess or maybe you already know what is your top seller and does it change from year to year?? Would you happen to know how many you have sold of your top seller?? if you have a photo that would be nice too.

Larry you are not alone. There have been many people who have made their own to suit their needs and they made out of wood or plastics As I had mentioned there are many videos on the subject out there. You did a nice job with those and saving the air is big deal if you have powerful equipment. Scrollsaws not so much. I used metal duct but did use the plastic gates and I was suppose to change to metal ones but never made it high on the list of things to do. Still on the list though.

Do you have an example?? Love to see in action.

Ray I know 3 people who have started pen turning as a hobby and converted into a business and in fact 2 have developed a brand name and are seen at all large pen shows right there with the Mont Blancs of the world. Charge over $2000 for a single pen. That comes with name recognition. You are not getting that with scrolling fret work. Nobody said and for sure not me, that every business attempt was successful. The point I said was every business started as a hobby. Maybe I am not making my point clear so I will back off. But Ray ask yourself this how many business are started another way and how many businesses are failed because of some reason and list the reasons in your head. I never said that everyone is cut out to be a business man. It takes drive and sometimes luck. Kevin is right about income and being able to live comfortably on it. Many factors come into play when a family is in the mix. Place you live is also a factor. Ray to me you are think scrolling and that is it. There is no way you could know what hobbies turned into business because hobbies take in so many different activities and not just scrolling. Of course you have to like doing what you are doing to take it to the next level. Have no other way to put it but every business started as a hobby somewhere down the road. I am done.

There are some videos out there of people making them from plastics and some from wood. My point was before many people start cutting the backs off to try one and see if you like it before you start doing a bunch.

That is good. Have to ask then why have they not made gates like this with the back end open?? Debris is something that plagues just about all gates systems. The best gates are ones with rounded corners.

No fighting or fireworks, just a discussion. It is a discussion that sidetracked the original post which many times does. Others can disagree with me and that is fine. That is what the world is full of opinions. I have to disagree with your take too Blake in that we are or at least I was talking about hobbies and businesses. Gates had a hobby of tinkering with the electronic world and it went from there. Why because he put forth the effort. I bet he ran into a whole lot of problems. A career is different which can grow from that business yes. You mention innovation, that can come from various sources such as a hobby, a career, or from a business. Innovation can grow a business but the root of it started with someone tinkering as a hobby. I go back to your opening statement about scrolling. yes it has been around many years but look at the businesses that grew from it. Pattern making continues to grow with different designs and people starting business based off that. But businesses like that need to expand and grow to be sustainable or else it goes by the waste side and becomes stale. Kevin needs to constantly change his product line or else he becomes stale and left behind. this requires work effort. Not many people are willing to make these commitments and thus the business fails. Another example is inventors. that is their hobby and it leads to things we eventually see. Maybe the word hobby is being misused. But I will bet every business started with someone tinkering in a shop somewhere.